Hi, does anybody know what I might use to substitute for a roux? That's when you thicken a soup or a sauce by cooking equal amounts of "regular" flour and butter (or margarine) together, and then whisking in broth or milk. Would Bette Hagman flour work? Or corn meal? Or cornstarch?

It would be so great if something gluten-free would work. Before I banned gluten, I had already adapted all my recipes which called for cream of mushroom soup to using a roux instead so that I could save $ by not having to buy the stupid cans of cream of mushroom soup. There's gotta be something that would work....

I keep a tub of Bette Hagman gluten-free flour mix around, I use it for all that sort of thing. For gravies it tastes exactly the same as wheat flour, I found I needed slightly more moisture or less flour in white sauces, or they get a little thick/gummy, but overall the flavour has been good.

I use the Bob's Red Mill all peurpose gluten-free baking mix. I use it just I did flour. I t has worked out beautifully in everything I have used a roux for. Baschemel sauce, gravy, gumbo base.......I highly recommend using the flour mix for the consistency that you are used to. I find that the starches tend to have a more gelled consistency, which is great in puddings and custards.... I do use a litlle more liquid with the gluten-free flour, but that's not that big of a deal.

Like Jenvan I use sweet rice flour and I love it. It is less likely to create lumps than wheat flour. I use the brand Mochiko which is about a dollar a box in the oriental stores and they also have it in health food stores at a considerably higher price.

Thank you, everybody, for your ideas! Sweet rice flour--hmmmm, I wonder if baby cream of rice cereal would work? I know it would be more expensive than sweet rice flour, I 'm just thinking of it as a backup for when I can't get to the Asian store....

do you use the gluten free flour or sweet rice flour the same as you would use wheat flour----2 TBS butter to 2 TBS flour in one cup of liquid? i have used corn starch for years, even before we went gluten free, but there can be a little bit of a difference in the texture (especially when reheating leftovers). plus, my kids could use the extra calories from the butter.
christine

0

Christine

15 year old twins with celiac, diagnosed dec. 2005
11 year old daughter with celiac diagnosed dec 2005
17 year old son with celiac gene

do you use the gluten free flour or sweet rice flour the same as you would use wheat flour----2 TBS butter to 2 TBS flour in one cup of liquid? i have used corn starch for years, even before we went gluten free, but there can be a little bit of a difference in the texture (especially when reheating leftovers). plus, my kids could use the extra calories from the butter.christine

I did it exactly the same- but I did have to use a little bit more liquid! I agree about the cornstarch, the gluten-free flour mix stayed true to what I was used to in a roux!